Facebook launches first gambling app with real stakes

Facebook has launched their first gambling application today that allows players to use real money.

Available to Facebook users in the UK above the age of 18, the game is bingo for cash prizes. Slot machine games will be added soon, says the company.

"Gambling is very popular and well regulated in the UK...for millions of bingo users it's already a social experience [so] it makes sense [for us] to offer that as well," added Julien Codorniou, Facebook's head of gaming for Europe, Middle East and Africa (via FT).

Outside of the UK, such games would prove to be a legal disaster. In the U.S., for example, there are only some forms of legal online gambling, and only within some states.

The new Bingo Friendzy app should help Facebook gain some revenue, an area where analysts have been critical.

I'm simply not going to put a lot of faith in an on line gambling site who's hot breath is in my ear saying that their games are totally luck/random/fate of the software. I just don't buy it.

Like it's been said before, the rules are fixed toward the 'house' & nobody beats the house. Sure there are winners, but you can't just keep having losers L/R. The smell of death drives away new game. Bells, whistles & the smell of low priced Prime Rib brings in fresh meat.

FB is going to make back all that money they lost in the market in tanker ships in less than 3 weeks from little old ladies alone.

people sit around the house playing games on computers,like slot machines & poker and spend thousands on wow.i can see this as a big money maker for fb.its not right to take advantage of peoples money with online games but apple does that through the app store already fb just wants to cash in and if they dont someone else will anyway.

custom built gaming pc from early 2010,ps2 with 15 games all original,ps3 500gbs with 5 games all original,yamaha amp and 5.1channel surround sound speakers,46inch sony lcd smart tv.

Originally posted by xboxdvl2: people sit around the house playing games on computers,like slot machines & poker and spend thousands on wow.i can see this as a big money maker for fb.its not right to take advantage of peoples money with online games but apple does that through the app store already fb just wants to cash in and if they dont someone else will anyway.